Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a developing device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus, such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral (MFP or multifunction machine) having at least two of copying, printing, facsimile transmission, plotting, and scanning capabilities.
Description of the Related Art
Electrophotographic image forming apparatuses include a developing device employing either one-component developer (i.e., toner) or two-component developer including toner and carrier.
Developing devices include, for example, a developer bearer having multiple magnetic poles to cause the developer to stand on end (in the form of magnetic brush) on a surface of the developer bearer. Then, the toner in the magnetic brush is transferred to an electrostatic latent image on a latent image bearer, thereby visualizing the latent image.
It is possible that the magnetic brush on the surface of the developer bearer contains insufficiently charged toner, the charge amount of which is insufficient for the toner to electrostatically adhere to the carrier. The insufficiently charged toner can float around the developing device and soil peripheral equipment or recording media.